How many times have you put something off because the timing wasn’t right? You wanted to wait until that perfect moment, but it hasn’t come yet. If I were to ask you to describe the Perfect Time, what would you say? Would it be when you finally earn your degree or when all of your debts are paid and your finances are in complete order? Would it be when you are a certain age, or when your children are grown and out of the house?
It Doesn’t Exist
You should stop waiting for the perfect time to arrive because it doesn’t exist.
It’s easy to obsess over time and the timing of events and occasions in our lives, relationships and careers. We use time to determine when and if we should make a move or begin a new venture. We want our timing to be perfect when, in fact, there’s no such thing.
Life is full of twists and turns, and there will always be challenges and hurdles in your way. There will always be factors that are out of your control, which become another excuse for you to forgo an opportunity or simply procrastinate.
I remember when I first considered going back to school to pursue my masters. A friend of mine was thinking about it too. She wanted us to go through the program together. I ended up backing out with a gazillion great excuses to justify why the timing wasn’t right. Three years later I received an invitation in the mail to her graduation. And you guessed it, I still hadn’t started a program. I had spent three years waiting on the Perfect Time.
I don’t want you to waste another minute, so, I want to share 4 strategies to help you stop procrastinating in your life and to stop allowing the illusion of perfect timing to hold you back from accomplishing your goals and living your dreams.
#1 Be Present in the Moment
The most important time we have is right now, in this present moment; yet we spend so much of our time feeling guilty about the past and anxious and worried about the future. So much so, that we usually end up squandering our “right now.” Spend time being present in the current moment. Now is the only perfect time there is.
#2 Be Prepared
Being prepared does not mean that you will be perfect. It simply means that on your journey, you anticipate some twists and turns and have prepared for potential issues. When you anticipate and prepare for these twists and turns, you are prepared to better deal with challenges. When you set goals, also develop a plan to deal with the possible things that may come up that can throw you off track or cause you to abandon your goal. When you are prepared for challenges, perfect timing becomes less of an issue.
#3 Be Flexible
My name, “Tamara,” means Palm Tree. Palm trees are made to weather storms. When the strong winds blow, palm trees bend in the direction of the wind. I love this metaphor because it reminds me to be flexible when the storms of life blow. When you are flexible, you are not obsessed with perfection because you know how to go with the flow and make adjustments when necessary.
#4 Make Moves
Waiting causes you to stand still. If you are waiting for the perfect time to make a move, I encourage you to start moving right now. We do not always know how or where to start, but making moves, no matter how small, builds momentum. I believe in divine inspiration and inspired action. When you put forth the effort and begin to move, you don’t have time to stand still and worry about perfection, you’re focused on moving forward.
Don’t get me wrong, while planning and preparation are a critical part of any process, they should not be used as an excuse to stand still and do nothing. If you’re waiting for the perfect time to start living your life, you will be waiting FOREVER. There is no such time as the perfect time.
And remember, there is no time like the present. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, the only time you really have is right now.
As always, I hope you got something that you can use to make some positive changes in your life.
Be sure to share this post with others who are standing still waiting on the perfect time.
I would love to hear from you. Comment below to let me know how you put these strategies to use in your life.
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